Ski-sled



Dec. 15, 1964 L. L. LECHENE ETAL SKI-SLED 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 18, 1963 FIGI INVENTORS Lap 4. LECHE/VE FRED L. solssoN FIG.2

L. LECHENE ETAL 3,161,416

Dec. 15, 19 4 SKI-SLED 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 18, 1963 INVENTORS- 4. (He/v5 Ana 4. 80/8804 I 4rrwm/EKS 3,161,416 SKLSLED Let) L. LechenqPatton, and Fred L. Soisson, Hastings,

Pa., assignors to Skec Bird Manufacturing Co., Inc, Benedict, Pin, a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Oct. 18, 1963, Ser. No. 317,178 3 Claims. (Ci. Mid-21) The present invention relates to a ski-sled adapted for use on water or land; and is an improvement over the ski-sled in co-pending patent application Serial Number 182,051, filed March 23, 1962 now Patent No. 3,107,923.

It is an object of this invention to provide a ski-sled which produces all the sporting thrills of skis without the dangers.

It is an object to provide a framework interconnecting .a pair of skis, with a platform for sitting.

It is another object to provide a steering wheel so that the user has complete control. The sled steers like a car,

wont tilt or upset, or never sinks and thus the user does not have to be an expert skier.

It is another object to provide a safety quick release two line attachment.

These and other objects will be seen from the following specification and claims in conjunction with the appended drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the present skisled.

FIG. 2 is a plan view thereof.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary front elevational view with the skis omitted and with the steering wheel partly broken away. a 7

FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of the ski-sled on a reduced scale.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary side elevational' view of the towing and quick release device.

It will be understood that the foregoing drawings illustrate merely a preferred embodiment of the invention and that other embodiments are contemplated, within the scope of the claims hereafter set forth.

Referring to the drawings the present ski-sled includes a pair of parallel spaced conventional skis 11, each of which upon its undersurface towards the rear thereof has secured a keel 12 tapered and converging towards its lower end as at 13, FIG. 4 and secured in position by fasteners 14, FIG. 2.

Framework The ski-sled includes a pair of longitudinally spaced parallel front and rear frames 15 land 16 which extend transversely between the skis and are flexibly secured thereto.

The rear frame assembly includes a pair of upright U-shaped brackets 17 whose flanges 18 are secured at 19 upon the top surface of the respective ski centrally thereof towards its rear end. The frames include a horizontal support means, namely tubular portions 20 which are interconnected by parallel horizontally disposed longitudinal tubes 30 secured thereto at their ends as at 31 Each frame is of inverted U-shape and includes depending tubular legs 21. The legs of rear frame 16 project within brackets 17 and are pivotally connected thereto by fasteners 22 on axes parallel to the skis.

The corresponding legs 21 of front frame 15 extend within brackets 23, and at their lower ends are pivotally connected therein by fasteners 22, FIG. 3, upon axes parallel to the skis.

Front Frame Brackets Front brackets 23 include transverse flanges 24 centrally secured to forward portions of the skis by fasteners 25. Each bracket 23 includes upright front arm 26 and 3,161,416 Patented Dec. 15, 1964 Seat Platform A horizontally disposed seat platform 32 preferably of wood is positioned over the frames horizontal support means 20 including cross-bars 30. A series of clamps 33 are mounted on members 2G and 3th and secured to undersurface portions of platform 32 by fasteners 34, FIG. 2.

Upright side rails 35 are mounted upon opposed upper longitudinal side edges of platform 32 and secured thereto. These rails are preferably of a light flexible material, as for example a porous plastic or plastic foam material, such as a product known in the trade as Etherfoam.

A thick buoyant body 36 is secured upon the undersurface of platform 32 between the frames 15 and 16, constructed of a plastic foam material for increasing the buoyancy of the ski-sled and preventing sinking in the water.

Steering Assembly Angle plate 37-38 is centrally positioned upon front frame 15 and fixedly secured thereto as by welding at 38, FIG. 3. Upright tubular steering post 39 includes flanges 40 at its lower end fixedly secured upon angle plate 37 at 41. Said post bears against the upright portion 38 of the angle plate, FIG. 1, and suitably secured thereto by welding, if desired. Re-enforcing angle bar 39 is interposed between the steering post and platform 32.

Horizontal sleeve 42 is fixedly secured upon the upper end of steering post 39 and mounts a suitable nylon or other bushing 43 through which is journaled stud shaft 44. This projects through the hub of steering wheel 47 and mounts at one end the fixed washer assembly 48 for operative retaining engagement within said hub which in turn bears against sleeve 42.

Sprocket gear 45 is axially mounted upon shaft 44 and includes collar 46 which is secured to said shaft and bears against sleeve 42. Thus gear 45 is rotatable on manual rotation of steering wheel 47.

Sprocket chain 49 extends around an operably engages gear 45, FIG. 3, with its free ends connected with steering rods 51. One of the chain free ends is flexibly connected to the upper end of right hand rod 51 by connection 50. The lower end of said rod extends angularly outwardly and is pivotally connected at 52 to the upper portion of bracket front arm 26.

The second steering rod 51 at is lower end is pivotally connected at 52 to the upper end portion of the other bracket front arm 26. The upper end portion of rod 51 includes turn buckle 53 whose free end is pivotally connected at 54 to the other free end of sprocket chain 49. The turn buckle is provided for regulating the tension in sprocket chain 49 and for adjusting the steering assembly.

Quick Release Tow Bar There is provided a safety quick release tow bar, FIGS. 3 and 5 which includes as a portion of angle plate 37 depending plate 55 mounting the forwardly extending parallel supports 56. The lower end portion 57 of J-shaped tow bar 58 extends between supports 56 and is pivoted thereto at 59.

Support 60 is secured to plate 37 and arranged above supports 56. Stirrup 61 extends around and supportedly engages tow bar 58, and at its ends is pivotally mounted at 62 upon support 60. Said stirrup closes off the upper end portion of tow bar 58 for securing a towing cable thereon. Said stirrup includes the forwardly inclined handle 63 by which said stirrup may be manually elevated around pivot 62 providing a quick release for tow bar 58. Said bar is free to tip in a clockwise direction into a horizontal position for releasing the towing cable or other line attached to the ski-sled.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, a pair of elongated upright guide plates 64 are mounted upon the inner longitudinal edges of skis 11 and fixedly secured thereto as by fasteners 65.

Having described our invention, reference should now be had to the following claims.

We claim:

1. A ski-sled comprising a pair of parallel skis;

longitudinally spaced upright front and rear U-shaped frames extending transversely between and flexibly secured to said skis, said frames including fixedly interconnected horizontal supports spaced above the skis and depending legs;

an elongated seat platform mounted over and secured to said supports;

the securing of the front frame including a pair of upright U-shaped brackets secured to forward end portions of the skis, each bracket having a front and a rear arm, the lower ends of the front frame legs extending into said brackets respectively and pivotally connected between saidarms on axes parallel to the skis;

a transverse torsion bar at its ends pivotally connected to the respective upper ends of said bracket rear arms;

an upright steering post mounted and secured centrally upon the front frame;

a steering wheel journaled upon the upper end of said post and including a rotatable driving means; and

a movable driven means extending around and operably engaging said driving means, and at its ends connected to the respective ends of said bracket front arms.

2. In the ski-sled of claim 1, said driving means being a sprocket gear;

said driven means including a sprocket chain, and a pair of rods at their one ends pivotally connected to the respective ends of said chain, and at their other ends pivotally connected respectively to the respective ends of said bracket front arms.

3. In the ski-sled of claim 1, the securing of the rear frame including a pair of upright U-shaped brackets secured to rear portions of the skis, the lower ends of the rear frame legs extending into said latter brackets respectively and pivotally connected thereto on axes parallel to the skis.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,836,623 12/31 Silvestri 28012 2,620,199 12/52 Maly et a1. 28021.1 2,721,088 10/55 Ritter 280480 3,105,249 10/63 Palmore 9310 FOREIGN PATENTS 56,952 9/11 Switzerland. 70,437 12/58 France.

(Addition to No. 1,122,477)

.ARTHUR L. LA POINT, Primary Examiner. 

1. A SKI-SLED COMPRISING A PAIR OF PARALLEL SKIS; LONGITUDINALLY SPACED UPRIGHT FRONT AND REAR U-SHAPED FRAMES EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY BETWEEN AND FLEXIBLY SECURED TO SAID SKIS, SAID FRAMES INCLUDING FIXEDLY INTERCONNECTED HORIZONTAL SUPPORTS SPACED ABOVE THE SKIS AND DEPENDING LEGS; AN ELONGATED SEAT PLATFORM MOUNTED OVER AND SECURED TO SAID SUPPORTS; THE SECURING OF THE FRONT FRAME INCLUDING A PAIR OF UPRIGHT U-SHAPED BRACKETS SECURED TO FORWARD END PORTIONS OF THE SKIS, EACH BRACKET HAVING A FRONT AND A REAR ARM, THE LOWER ENDS OF THE FRONT FRAME LEGS EXTENDING INTO SAID BRACKETS RESPECTIVELY AND PIVOTALLY CONNECTED BETWEEN SAID ARMS ON AXES PARALLEL TO THE SKIS; A TRANSVERSE TORSION BAR AT ITS ENDS PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO THE RESPECTIVE UPPER ENDS OF SAID BRACKET REAR ARMS; AN UPRIGHT STEERING POST MOUNTED AND SECURED CENTRALLY UPON THE FRONT FRAME; A STEERING WHEEL JOURNALED UPON THE UPPER END OF SAID POST AND INCLUDING A ROTATABLE DRIVING MEANS; AND A MOVABLE DRIVEN MEANS EXTENDING AROUND AND OPERABLY ENGAGING SAID DRIVING MEANS, AND AT ITS ENDS CONNECTED TO THE RESPECTIVE ENDS OF SAID BRACKET FRONT ARMS. 